Welcome all baseball fans to October in Major League Baseball! This is the month where legends are made on the field but its also a great time to win some wagers with us! Only one game to pick through today but it should be a good one between the Phillies and Braves in a winner take all matchup. 

If you are looking for wagers and props, then you have come to the right place, as these articles will be published daily for the rest of the season right here! In addition to the article, make sure to follow along with all our expert picks over on the MLB Bet Tracker to see which analyst is on a heater. 

In this MLB Best Bets Today article, you will find a wide array of choices from some Money Lines to game totals and, on occasion, some player props! We are now fully into the season, so the bets are going to be a full unit unless otherwise noted. Besides that, have fun, make some money, and check out the rationale! If you agree with me, make sure to tail and good luck!

Now, let's dive into my expert MLB Best Bets today!

 

MLB Best Bets Today: Picks, Predictions & Player Props - October 1st, 2026

  • All-Time Record: 233-141-0
  • Bankroll: +64.26 units
  • ROI: 18.44%

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MLB Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 10/1

Phillies vs. Braves Prediction: Thursday, October 1st

It all comes down to this pivotal Game 3 in the NL Wild Card matchup of these divisional rivals! It will be Aaron Nola on the hill for the Phillies and the Braves are going to deploy an opener it seems! 

Its well known that the Phillies have struggled to hit coming into the playoffs but they rank second in the postseason in isolated power thanks to some home runs. On the Braves side they have struggled in the power department but the team BABIP has been great at .313. This leads me to my first wager for the game. 

Aaron Nola has been great down the stretch but he has not been a big strikeout guy during that run. The Braves during the end of the regular season weren't a big swing and miss team either with a K-rate of 21.5%. I also don't know how long Nola will pitch either in this game tonight with the playoffs being a quick hook. I am going to go ahead and take Nola under 4.5 Ks tonight in a game that will feature many twists and turns. 

On top of that bet I am actually going to take the over tonight as well. Both teams know each other well and the batter vs. pitcher matchups will feature a lot of familiarity. The total sits at 7.5 and that number as been one time to the over and one to the under so far this series. I lean towards more action for the hitting tonight with the bullpens expected to play a larger role than normal and they are less than great. 

Expert MLB Picks: